1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tire deflating apparatus deployed from a vehicle and, in particular, to a device which is deployed from a leading vehicle and has a base member incorporating a plurality of spikes each having a metal sleeve loosely fitted thereon which penetrate and deflate the tires of a trailing vehicle.
2. The Prior Art
There seems to be an unfortunate increase in the instances of the police becoming involved in high speed chases of vehicles which have been involved in some sort of illegal activity. The chases are extremely dangerous and have resulted in a great many fatalities, usually of innocent parties A large number of schemes have been proposed for causing the deflation of the tires of the fleeing vehicle, many of these require depositing spiked strips ahead of the fleeing vehicle and then hoping that the driver of the fleeing vehicle will take a certain route leading to the spiked strips and will not take any evasive action-to avoid the spiked strips while on this route.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,849 to Pacholok et al discloses a device which is fired forward from a trailing vehicle. The device opens to deploy spikes against the tires of the lead vehicle. There would appear to be an inherent problem with this type of device. If there is a miss, then there is a substantial possibility causing damage to the trailing car""s tires.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,445 to Jones discloses hollow spikes projecting from a base. This device is to be used with parked cars, placed by hand on either side of a tire of the car to be disabled, to prevent the car from being driven off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,408 to Abukhader is somewhat similar to the above-mentioned Pacholok et al patent. It is distinguished by the fact that the spikes are hollow to assure deflation of the punctured tire. It would have the same difficulties as the Pacholok device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,109 to Lowndes discloses a device to be deployed in advance of the car to be stopped. It combines spike strips, similar to those currently in use, with an apparatus to deploy the spiked strips, which have hollow spikes to increase the rate of deflation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,397 to Soleau shows another type of device to be deployed ahead of the vehicle to be stopped. A plurality of hollow spikes project from a base and are torn off by the passing tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,962 to Greves discloses a special three piece spikes designed to penetrate a tire and leave a hollow quill embedded therein to deflate the tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,285 to Greves et al is similar to the above discussed patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,059 to Groblebe shows a sleeve disposed on a stud fixed to a base. The sleeve has a sharpened end which penetrates the tire and is retained therein.
WO 98/16689 discloses a device which is similar to those described in the Greves and Greves et al patents discussed above. Greves is a coinventor in the PCT patent.
The present invention is designed to be deployed from a leading vehicle to cause deflation of the tires of a trailing vehicle. The subject invention has two primary components: a deployable base member, with a plurality of tire piercing spikes extending therefrom, and a launch assembly designed to deposit the base member on a road surface in proper position to cause the deflation of the tires of a trailing vehicle.